


ain't together

by softgayjaehyun



Series: in your dreams [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Ass to Mouth, Bottom Mark Lee (NCT), Boys In Love, Face-Fucking, Face-Sitting, M/M, Pining, Shy Mark Lee (NCT), Top Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, and won't admit it, brief renmin towards the beginning, i hate them, sigh, they're literally in love, they're so dumb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:40:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26431303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softgayjaehyun/pseuds/softgayjaehyun
Summary: Ever since Mark and Donghyuck first hooked up a few weeks ago, they were in this weird limbo, neither of them brave enough to confront the feelings they knew were right in front of them, but acting on them regardless. They did the usual things--hang out, study, go to parties with their friends--but they also did things out of the ordinary, like make out in the dorms when they knew their roommates would be gone and hold hands on the subway. If their friends noticed, they never said anything, which only worsened Mark’s suspicion that this, whatever this is, was all in his head.or where mark and donghyuck say i love you all the time but still can't acknowledge their true feelings
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Series: in your dreams [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1921228
Comments: 10
Kudos: 159





	ain't together

**Author's Note:**

> i finally finished part 2 of "in you dreams" !! thank you to everyone who commented and left kudos on my first fic it was highly appreciated and motivated me to finish this one:)) and thanks to everyone who let me know they wanted a second part. i think there's gonna be one more before i end this series and start on something new. hope you enjoy !!
> 
> also yes. this was based on ain't together by king princess. i'm gay and i pine.

A loud, dramatic yawn resounds through the lounge as Donghyuck stretches his arms out across the old wooden table. “I. Am tired.” he says pointedly, sliding down in his chair and laying his head back against the top of the seat.

“Me too” Renjun sighs, closing his laptop with a soft thud and dropping down on the table next to it. Jaemin and Jeno grunt in agreement from their place on the dingy red sofa two feet away. Mark stares out the window at the flickering yellow street lights surrounding the library, too tired and zoned out to respond to his friends. 

Donghyuck waves a hand in front of his face. “Mark” he drawls, snapping his fingers, “Look, Mark’s so tired he can’t even speak”. 

Jeno checks his watch and groans. “It’s almost 1. We’ve been studying for five hours.” The group begins packing up all the papers, books, and laptops into their respective backpacks, grunting and sighing with the type of exhaustion only midterms can bring. Jeno sweeps the empty energy drink cans and plastic coffee cups littering their table into the trash before hoisting his bag up over his shoulder and leading the crew out of the library.

“Did you finish your essay?” Jaemin asks Renjun, throwing an arm around his shoulder and leaning against him as he drags his feet to the exit.

“Not even close” he deadpans, lacing their fingers together against his chest.

Mark and Donghyuck trail them as they all trudge their way to the dorms. They chatter mindlessly, complaining about upcoming commitments and their piles upon piles of projects, essays, and exams. 

“We’re all fine arts majors. How do have so much fucking work? Make it make sense” Donghyuck rants, gesturing with his right hand while the left is linked through Mark’s arm. The three younger members of the group holler in agreement, each adding their own scathing commentary on the state of the education system. 

Mark is the quiet one among his friends for once, run down by the little to no sleep he’s gotten in the last three days. Mark’s a fine arts major like the rest of them, but he’s chosen to take it to the next (even more self-torturous) level by minoring in English. That means double the essays, double the projects, and triple the assigned reading. 

He lets Donghyuck lead him across campus as he drifts over the pavement like a ghost. Donghyuck notices Mark’s demeanor and trails his hand down Mark’s arm to give his hand a comforting squeeze. “We’re almost there,” he says gently, wrapping Mark’s arm around his own shoulder to support more of his weight. 

Mark’s hazy, sleep-deprived brain manages to speed his heart up at the sweet gesture. He leans his head on Donghyuck’s shoulder and closes his eyes for a brief second, taking in the faint smell of the fancy cologne he bought Donghyuck for his birthday four months ago.

Soon they arrive at the glass double doors of the towering residential buildings and swipe themselves in. Jaemin, Jeno, and Renjun make their way to the sophomore wing, but Donghyuck still clings to Mark, who resides with the rest of the upperclassmen. “I’m gonna walk Mark to his room to make sure he doesn’t pass out”. 

A weak alibi, but they’re too tired to be suspicious. “Okay, see you tomorrow” Jaemin waves weakly, entering the elevator with Jeno and Renjun, ready to crash the second his head hits the pillow.

Mark and Donghyuck slowly make their way to Mark’s room, clambering up the stairs to the second floor in unison. Donghyuck snakes his fingers into Mark’s pocket to grab his keys and open the door, letting Mark bury his face into his neck as he fumbles with the lock.

They enter the small, stuffy space to see Mark’s roommate, Yukhei, sprawled out on the floor between their beds, gluing pieces of colorful cardstock onto a giant white poster board. “Hiiiii” he greets them with a grin, still managing to look beautiful and dazzling at one in the morning, even with the dark bruise-like circles under his eyes.

“What are you doing?” Mark questions, throwing his bag down on the floor and taking off his shoes. 

“Another project for art” he sighs, pushing the papers aside to clear a path to Mark’s bed. “Are you staying over?” he asks Donghyuck, a cute, excited lilt in his voice. 

Despite the obvious romantic tension between Donghyuck and Mark, Yukhei never feels out of place. He actually _enjoys_ spending time with them, that is, when he’s not being sexiled. They often get drunk together and play video games or bar hop on the weekends. Donghyuck’s mood-maker personality was a nice addition to the dynamic Mark and Yukhei had going on. Despite the fact that he was younger than both of them, Donghyuck was typically the mastermind behind their plans and brought everyone closer by inviting Yukhei into their larger group, consisting mostly of friends they’d had since high school. 

“Not tonight,” Donghyuck replies sadly, resisting Mark’s attempts to pull him into bed. “I have an exam tomorrow at 8 and if I stay with you two there’s no way I’ll sleep”. 

“Why not?” Mark asks, whinier than he had intended. 

Donghyuck snickers and reaches out to pinch his cheek. “Because you’re a clingy baby and Yukhei will somehow convince me to play games with him all night”.

“He’s right,” Yukhei says solemnly, fanning himself with a piece of cardstock. “Tomorrow’s Friday anyways. Are we still going to the party at Xiaojun’s?” Xiaojun was another member of their friend group. He started off as one of Yukhei’s friends that got roped into their outings, then became a permanent installment when he clicked with the group immediately. He was also the only member who had an apartment off campus, making him the resident party-thrower.

“Of course! It’s the only thing getting me through this week and I _will_ be getting thoroughly fucked up” Donghyuck says matter-of-factly. “Anyways, I gotta go. Mark, you better sleep and Xuxi don’t stay up too late. You look like you have two black eyes” he warns, throwing Yukhei a concerned glance before moving to exit.

“Wait,” Mark groans, heaving himself up off the bed. He follows Donghyuck out the door, letting it click shut behind him.

“Yes?” Donghyuck breathes as Mark steps closer, winding his arms around his shoulders.

“I just wanted to kiss you goodnight” he answers softly. He presses his lips against Donghyuck’s for a moment, then pulls back to look at his blushing face.

“ _Oh_ ” he sighs, placing his hands on Mark’s waist. “Thanks.”

“Yea” Mark replies, knocking their noses together lightly. 

These small gestures of affection were usually initiated by Donghyuck and left Mark reeling, but tonight he was so drunk on lack of sleep and the warm feelings Donghyuck triggered that his inhibitions were virtually nonexistent. 

Not that these inhibitions weren’t warranted. Ever since Mark and Donghyuck first hooked up a few weeks ago, they were in this weird limbo, neither of them brave enough to confront the feelings they knew were right in front of them, but acting on them regardless. They did the usual things--hang out, study, go to parties with their friends--but they also did things out of the ordinary, like make out in the dorms when they knew their roommates would be gone and hold hands on the subway. If their friends noticed, they never said anything, which only worsened Mark’s suspicion that _this_ , whatever _this_ is, was all in his head. 

He felt like he was going insane trying to pin down Donghyuck’s feelings. What they have could easily be a product of circumstance. They’re both horny and fucking each other is convenient with their similar schedules and apparent compatibility.

The idea that they’re falling into a rhythm, that they’re starting to memorize what the other likes and how to please them enters Mark’s mind and does something to his heart as he presses his lips below Donghyuck’s ear and feels him shiver like he always does.

It’s muscle memory when Donghyuck pulls him closer, enveloping Mark into his tight embrace. “I’ll see you tomorrow” he murmurs after he pulls back, still holding Mark’s hands in his own. “Love you”.

Oh yeah. There’s also the fact that Mark and Donghyuck profess their love for each other at least once a day. It began after one of their hookups, the words slipping out of Donghyuck’s mouth while he and Mark laid in his bed, overtaken with post-coital exhaustion. The phrase then slipped into their goodnight texts and eventually into real life goodbyes as well. Considering they were close friends, they had said it several times before. But now, just like every other form of affection between them, it’s become a _thing._ A thing that drives Mark even further into his insanity of trying to analyze Donghyuck.

“Love you too” Mark murmurs back, staring down at their hands. Donghyuck releases and turns to stumble to his room at the other end of the building. Mark watches him leave, crossing his arms and leaning back against the door. He can already feel the familiar pangs of hurt in his chest at just the thought of spending a night without Donghyuck. He fucking hates it.

* * *

Mark wakes the next day to the sound of his phone vibrating on the desk next to his bed. He squints at the morning sun that seeps in between the withered curtains and glances at the time. 11:32 AM. Mark had passed out the night before right after Donghyuck left, not even bothering to change out of the sweatpants and hoodie he wore to the library or brush his teeth. He winces at the stale taste in his mouth and sits up, rubbing his eyes. Ten hours of sleep was the longest he’d gotten in a while.

He glances down at his phone, scrolling through the notifications to the ones he really cares about.

_From: hyuck @ 7:15am :_

_morning:)_

_From: hyuck @ 8:43am :_

_I FINISHED MY LAST EXAMMM_

_time to fucking PARTY_

  
  


Mark smiles down at his phone, cuddling deeper into the blankets and typing out a short response.

_To: hyuck @ 11:35 am :_

_morning:))))_

_YES WE’RE FREE AT LAST_

Donghyuck responds immediately.

_From: hyuck @ 11:35am :_

_you’re finally awake !!_

_im coming over_

Mark sits up, swooning for a moment before dashing to the bathroom to shower and get rid of his morning breath. Thankfully, Yukhei was on the varsity swim team and had practice nearly every morning, leaving the dorm (and most importantly, the bathroom) free for Mark’s leisurely use.

He feels giddy as he quickly washes himself under the tepid water, managing to finish in just five minutes. With the speed the temperature of the university’s already too cold water reaches freezing, he’s had a lot of practice. Once Mark finishes, he enters the bedroom and is startled by the sight of Donghyuck laying on his bed.

“What are you doing here?” Mark squeaks, staring down at his half naked body, covered only by the towel around his waist.

“The door was unlocked” Donghyuck shrugs, returning his attention to his phone. “Don’t be such a baby, hyung. I’ve already seen everything”. 

Mark blushes at the comment and crosses his arms against his chest self-consciously. “I guess” he grumbles, throwing in an eye roll for good measure. Stumbling over the clothes that litter the floor, he makes his way over to the hair dryer plugged in next to the full length mirror on the wall.

Donghyuck reaches for the speaker on Mark’s nightstand and begins playing music while Mark dries his hair in the mirror. He watches Donghyuck stare at his phone behind him in the reflection and becomes overwhelmed with a sudden sense of warmth and domesticity. It was nice to be able to do his own thing next to Donghyuck, to just feel his presence and be close to him. His eyes snap up to meet Mark’s as if he could read his mushy thoughts. Mark reflexively looks away, a feeble attempt at pretending like he wasn’t gazing fondly just seconds ago. 

He hears Donghyuck let out a quiet snort and feels his stare burning through his face. Soft piano fills the silence before the bed springs screech in protest as Donghyuck rises from his spot. Mark’s heart leaps in his chest when he feels Donghyuck’s hands on his waist, pulling him back to wrap his arms around Mark’s torso.

“How are you?” he asks, nosing against the back of Mark’s neck. “Do you feel better today?”

“Yeah, I do” Mark sighs, continuing the task of drying his hair with shaky hands. 

“You smell nice,” Donghyuck murmurs and begins pressing kisses to the nape of his neck and down his spine. 

“Showers will do that to you” Mark replies dryly, his words sarcastic but his voice low and quiet. 

“Smartass” he feels Donghyuck puff against his lower back in a scoff that raises goosebumps on his skin.

“You love my ass” Mark retorts, trying to hide how breathless he is just from Donghyuck’s kisses. His hands are on Mark’s hips, holding him in place as he makes his way down Mark’s body to where the towel begins. Yukhei won’t be back for another hour and Mark has no intention of stopping Donghyuck, whatever his objective is. 

“Is this okay?” he questions, ignoring Mark’s teasing and tucking his fingers underneath the waist to loosen the wrapping. Mark turns off the hair dryer and drops it on the floor. He then braces his hands on either side of the mirror, nodding cautiously and holding his breath as he feels the towel drop to the floor.

Donghyuck’s hands are everywhere. They start on Mark’s hips, traveling down to the sides of his thighs, up and around to squeeze his ass, and the cycle begins over again. He drinks in the smooth expanse of Mark’s skin against his palms. He’s on his knees behind Mark now, listening to the soft panting that escapes his lips and laughing at the way he struggles not to squirm as Donghyuck feels him up in front of the mirror.

On his last round, instead of squeezing Mark’s ass, he uses his fingers to spread him open, four splayed on each cheek with his thumbs teasing Mark’s entrance. Mark makes a noise that sounds halfway between a grunt and a gasp as Donghyuck teases the tips of his fingers against his ass. 

He dips forward to press a kiss to the puckered skin before leaving a hot trail of saliva down his entrance. He continues rubbing his thumb in slow tiny circles, aided by the slip of his spit. Mark struggles to keep the noises inside his chest, letting a few soft moans slip through the crack between his lips.

“Don’t do that” Donghyuck commands, pinching Mark’s ass lightly. “I want to hear you”. 

“So bossy” Mark grumbles, leaning closer to the mirror and arching his back to poke his ass out further.

Donghyuck grins. “It’s been a long week. I deserve this,” he grabs Mark’s hips roughly, pulling him away from the mirror and shifting Mark’s weight onto his legs instead of his hands, “And you deserve _this_.” 

He tugs Mark’s thighs down, guiding him into a squat right above his face. Mark gasps as he feels Donghyuck’s tongue flat against him, moving vertically against his rim, all hot and wet and _desperate._ Mark had eaten ass enough times to know that it wasn’t the most pleasant experience in the world, but the way Donghyuck did it made him think otherwise. He ate like he was hungry. No. Like he was _ravenous_. 

Mark doesn’t know what to do with his hands, so he places them against Donghyuck’s, which are currently digging bruises into his hips as he tries to hold up Mark’s quivering form. Donghyuck hardens his tongue and dips it inside of Mark’s body, pulling a soft moan from his lips. 

Donghyuck's mouth is pressed flush against Mark's ass as his tongue works as deep as possible. He releases Mark’s hips, forcing him to support his own weight on shaky legs. Donghyuck stations his head and allows Mark to fuck himself on his mouth as he entwines their fingers.

Mark’s dick, which is almost fully hard, twitches with the small form of intimacy. “ _Horny for romance”_ he thinks to himself, immediately flushing with embarrassment. Mark rolls his hips gently as he grinds up and down against Donghyuck’s tongue. He’s trying very hard not to be loud, not only to save himself the embarrassment of the neighbors hearing him, but also to avoid the humiliation of Donghyuck’s relentless post-hookup teasing. 

After a few minutes, when Donghyuck’s jaw can’t handle it anymore, he gently nudges Mark off his face and wipes away the saliva and sweat from his chin with the sleeve of his hoodie. 

Mark's knees wobble as he tries to stand up straight. He settles for placing his hands back on the wall as he tries to catch his breath. “That was...” he begins.

“We’re not done yet” Donghyuck smirks, swinging his hand back and landing it on Mark’s ass. His body jerks forward and, to Donghyuck’s delight, he lets out a shout that would no doubt permeate through the thin dorm walls.

Donghyuck stands up and presses the front of his body up against Mark, who’s still facing the mirror. Mark grinds his hips back against the hard length in his jeans, shaking with pleasure as Donghyuck’s hands move to his chest to play with his nipples. He stares at Donghyuck’s face in the mirror as he presses kisses to Mark’s shoulder. 

  
  


“Wait,” Donghyuck whispers, voice wavering as he steps away from Mark to grab a bottle of lube from the drawer in his desk. When he comes back, his hands are on his waistband, nimble fingers undoing the belt, buttons, and zipper with quick ease before sliding off his jeans and underwear together.

Mark turns around so his back is pressed against the wall. He grabs the hem of Donghyuck’s shirt and pulls it over his head urgently before throwing his arms around his neck and kissing him hungrily, taking no time to press his tongue into Donghyuck’s mouth. Mark breaks away from his lips to leave a trail of wet kisses, first to his chin, then his jaw, neck, collar bones, and sternum, all the way until he reaches his belly button. Donghyuck’s moans are high and quiet, falling from his lips beautifully and drifting to Mark’s eager awaiting ears.

He eyes Donghyuck’s expression as he sucks the sensitive skin of his stomach between his teeth, running his tongue along the bitten area moments later to soothe the dull ache. Donghyuck stares back through half-lidded eyes that gently squeeze shut with each bite. “Pretty” Mark sighs, pressing a kiss to one of the bruises. 

One of Donghyuck’s hands grabs at the crown of Mark’s head, fingers rustling through his fluffy dark hair and gripping tightly every time Mark starts on a new hickey.

“Hyuck” Mark murmurs once he’s satisfied with the pink and purple daisy chain that encircles Donghyuck’s belly button. He hums in response, fingers still petting absentmindedly through Mark’s hair. “I want you to fuck my mouth.”

Donghyuck’s eyes snap open and stare down at Mark in shock. “A-are you sure? We’ve never done that before. Are you sure you can handle it?” he stammers.

Mark rolls his eyes and positions himself so he’s sitting back on his haunches comfortably. “Are you questioning my dick-sucking abilities?”

Donghyuck cups his face gently with both hands and tilts his head up to stare him in the eyes, completely serious. “Just squeeze my thigh if it’s too much. Okay, baby?” The pet name lights a fire in Mark’s belly and sends horny butterflies fluttering through his chest. 

“Yes” Mark replies in a tiny voice, lightheaded with desire and something else, something deeper and more visceral as he shifts his gaze shyly down to his lap. His heart pounds loudly in his ears as Donghyuck gently grabs his hair and positions Mark’s face in front of his cock. Being eye level with Donghyuck’s dick makes his mouth water. He parts his lips and waits for Donghyuck to slide his length between them.

Mark’s brain feels blissfully empty and hazy, like it’s filled with TV static as Donghyuck pushes his cock into Mark’s mouth, the thick head rubbing against his tongue and snaking its way down his throat. He relaxes his jaw and tries to force down the gag reflex that threatens the quiet tranquility of this moment. Donghyuck lets out a sigh as he carefully withdraws and then begins thrusting his hips, setting a slow, shallow pace to help Mark adjust to the feeling. His hands rest against Donghyuck’s thighs, where he can feel the muscles pull taut and then relax beneath his skin with each movement. Mark feels so strangely euphoric and hyper-focused on the task at hand that he nearly forgets to breathe. 

Donghyuck’s head is thrown back in pleasure above him, the moaning from before mixing with praises and Mark’s name into a jumbled mess of beautiful sounds that coat his brain like honey and make it feel like it’s going to burst from sheer elation. Mark swallows around Donghyuck’s cock to try and slow the pooling of saliva at the corners of his mouth. 

Donghyuck gasps and tightens his grip on Mark’s hair as his throat closes around him. He speeds up his pace, glancing down at Mark to ensure that he’s alright with this progression. Donghyuck is stricken by the image of Mark’s face, cheeks flushed pink with effort and eyes closed with dark lashes casting shadows over sharp cheekbones. His thoughts are interrupted when Mark hums, the vibration against his dick sending a wave of pleasure through his body.

“Are you okay, baby?” Donghyuck breathes, relaxing his fingers and slowing his hips. Mark nods loosely, staring up at him with shiny wide eyes, lips still wrapped around his cock. Donghyuck can’t do anything but stare at him dumbly. After a few moments, Mark hums again and slides the length out of his mouth, Donghyuck hissing at the loss of contact. 

Mark clears his throat and tries to speak, voice raspy and weak from exertion. “I’m tired,” he mutters, grabbing onto Donghyuck’s shoulders and clambering slowly to his feet. 

Donghyuck holds on to his waist to steady him, then pulls him in for a kiss. “You did so good,” he mumbles against Mark’s lips, pecking his mouth between each word.

“You didn’t even cum” Mark objects weakly, pushing against his shoulders to hold back the attack.

“Not yet,” Donghyuck replies, a smile playing on his face. He pins Mark against the wall behind them, using the support to help him haul Mark’s thighs up around his waist. They continue where they left off, slotting their lips together fervently. 

Mark wraps his arms around Donghyuck’s neck as he braces his hands under Mark’s ass to carry him to the bed. He lays Mark down horizontally across the mattress, legs hanging off the edge still wrapped around Donghyuck.

He grabs the unused bottle of lube next to them and slicks up his fingers before driving them one by one into Mark, who’s body opens up easily for him. He pumps his fingers quickly, torquing his wrist to try and find the perfect angle. Mark grips the comforter under him and shifts his hips to help Donghyuck find his prostate. He gasps when Donghyuck grazes the spot, arching his back off the mattress. Donghyuck brings his other hand up to his mouth to lick a stripe of saliva down his palm before using it to jerk Mark’s dick.

“Slow down” Mark whines, grabbing Donghyuck’s wrist. “Fuck me” He feels around blindly between his legs to grab Donghyuck’s dick and line it up with his entrance. “We need lube” he mumbles as he runs his fingers over the now dry length. 

Donghyuck squeezes a generous amount onto his hand and massages it over his cock to get it fully erect. Once he’s ready, he grips the back of Mark’s thighs, pushing his legs up into his chest. He starts slow, watching the way Mark’s body swallows him up until his balls are pressed against Mark’s ass. 

“Please” he groans, pushing his head back into the mattress and digging his short nails into Donghyuck’s forearms, “Faster”.

Donghyuck is weak under his command. He pounds into Mark ruthlessly, the sounds of their moaning and skin slapping against skin mixing in the stuffy airspace.

Mark suddenly remembers through the haze of pleasure clouding his brain that he’s in a _college dorm_ where the walls are thin enough to hear someone just moving around in bed, much less while being pounded into oblivion. “ _Shhhhh_ ” Mark hisses at Donghyuck, who rolls his eyes but still finds it in himself to quiet down.

He leans over Mark to whisper in his ear. “When we go home for Thanksgiving break, I’m gonna fuck you until you’re screaming to make up for this”. Mark shudders, Donghyuck’s words and his breath against the shell of Mark’s ear tingling through his veins like electricity straight to his cock. He jerks his dick while Donghyuck fucks him with renewed vigor, making it even more difficult to stay quiet.

“You’re doing this...on purpose” Mark pants, eyes screwed shut in concentration.

“Of course I am” Donghyuck snickers, pushing Mark’s legs up higher. The new angle helps Donghyuck hit just the right spot, Mark’s thighs quivering as he’s pushed closer to his limit. It only takes a few minutes before he’s coming in his own hands, Donghyuck falling forward to capture his lips and swallow up his moans. He finishes a few moments later inside of Mark.

Donghyuck pulls out slowly, Mark groaning at the sudden emptiness and the feeling of Donghyuck’s cum dripping down his thighs. “I _just_ took a shower” he groans, throwing an arm over his face.

“Shut up you big baby. Was it not worth it?,” Donghyuck teases, nudging Mark to lay right side up and throwing himself down on the bed next to him. They curl right into their usual position, nose to nose with Donghyuck’s arm under Mark’s head and Mark’s hands on Donghyuck’s waist.

He hums in false contemplation, cocking an eyebrow. Donghyuck runs his other hand over Mark’s side and jabs his fingers in the dip of his waist, coaxing a loud involuntary laugh from Mark’s lips. 

“Asshole!” he sputters, squirming around until he’s facing the opposite direction. Donghyuck wraps his arms around Mark’s body and pulls him closer, chest pressed against Mark’s back, his body is engulfed by Donghyuck’s embrace.

He hums in Mark’s ear when they’re settled, pressing his nose into Mark’s hair to breath in the aroma of his musky shampoo. “I love you” he sighs, pressing his fingers against the hard lines of Mark’s ribs. 

“I love you, too” Mark repeats quietly, placing his hand on top of Donghyuck’s and intertwining their fingers on his stomach.

His head is screaming with questions and uncertainty as the silence settles between them. It’s moments like these that make Mark feel like there _has_ to be something here. Something more than just two friends that hook up periodically. It makes him feel stupid that he’s questioning the validity of their feelings when they’re already saying the words most couples take months of deliberation to utter. But that’s just it. They aren’t a couple. At least not officially.

“Mark” Donghyuck whispers quietly against his ear. 

“What” he squeaks, voice breaking from the surprise interruption of his thoughts. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing” Mark spits out reflexively.

“I can _feel_ you thinking. What are you on about?” he interrogates, squeezing Mark’s midsection.

Mark laughs nervously, playing with a loose string on his bed sheets as he tries to formulate a response that doesn’t sound too desperate or insane. “I’m just thinking about you, I guess. How I feel...about you?” he utters slowly, voice rising at the end, sounding more like a question than a declaration.

“Well...how _do_ you feel?” Donghyuck asks after a moment, voice falling quiet and concerned in the suddenly serious atmosphere.

“You already know,” Mark whispers, squeezing Donghyuck’s fingers between his own, “I just I don’t know if it...” he pauses, sucking in a shaky breath before finishing his sentence, “means the same thing to you?”

“If what means the same thing to me?”

“The way we are with each other” he gestures vaguely, trying to string together a coherent sentence. “We send each other good morning and goodnight texts. We hold hands everywhere we go. You sleep with me all the time, like literally just sleep, even if we don’t have sex,” he turns around to stare into Donghyuck’s eyes, trying to gauge his thoughts.

His eyebrows are knitted together, whether with confusion or mild distress, Mark can’t tell. Either way, not a good sign. “What do those things mean to _you_?” Donghyuck asks slowly, holding his intense gaze.

_It means I’m fucking in love with you, you idiot_ the voice in Mark’s head screams. He opens his mouth to respond when they hear Yukehei’s loud laugh through the door and a key being inserted into the lock.

“Don’t come in!” Mark yells, jumping up from the bed and furiously wrapping the towel from the floor around his waist after throwing Donghyuck’s clothes in his general direction.

“Not again!” Yukhei whines outside the door.

Mark slides the bottle of lube under his bed before going to open the door with an embarrassed grimace on his face. “Sorry” he says cutely, pulling out the big guns to try and win Yukehi’s forgiveness. 

“Your time management skills are horrendous” he deadpans. Donghyuck waves at him from the edge of the bed, looking like he just awoke from a nap, all messy hair, flushed face, and disheveled clothing. 

Yukhei returns to his usual smiley demeanor when Donghyuck asks if he wants to play video games, and the conversation with Mark is quickly forgotten.

**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/softgayjaehyun)


End file.
